On The Campaign Trail: Pa. campaigns heating up for Senate, governor

Aug. 2—WILKES-BARRE — With all the campaigns heating up across Pennsylvania, here are a few items candidates are saying about their stance on issues and about their opponents.

Mastriano urging universities

to freeze planned tuition hikes

Sen. Doug Mastriano, Republican candidate for governor, this week asked leaders at the four state-related universities to freeze tuition for Pennsylvania residents for the upcoming academic year.

In a letter addressed to the top officials at the Pennsylvania State University, the University of Pittsburgh, Temple University and Lincoln University, Mastriano said the 5% funding boost from a portion of federal stimulus funds — coupled with the nearly $600 million appropriated by the General Assembly in the 2022-23 state budget — should be sufficient to freeze tuition for tens of thousands of Pennsylvania families.

A budget summary shows the specific funding amounts as follows, though the administration has indicated it will distribute $40 million in total:

—Pennsylvania University: $12.1 million for general support; $1.3 million for the Pennsylvania College of Technology

—University of Pittsburgh: $7.5 million for general support; $167,000 for rural education outreach

—Temple University: $7.9 million

—Lincoln University: $758,000

"Pennsylvania's families simply cannot afford a tuition hike in addition to the rising costs in other parts of the economy," Mastriano said. "These universities have received enough supplemental funding from the state for the upcoming year to avoid unnecessary tuition increases."

A study of anonymous tax records published in the New York Times in 2017 revealed the median family income for students at Penn State, University of Pittsburgh, Temple University and Lincoln University ranged from nearly $46,000 to just under $112,000. The proposed increases on these households could impact more than 122,000 students in the coming academic year.

"I realize the economic forces at work have not spared higher education," Mastriano said. "Although a tuition hike offers a straightforward solution, it will cost Pennsylvania far more in the long run in lost economic opportunity."

Eight Pa. members of Congress

endorse Mastriano for governor

Eight Republican members of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania this week released a joint endorsement of Doug Mastriano for governor.

The endorsement letter — signed by Glenn "GT" Thompson, Mike Kelly, Lloyd Smucker, Dr. John Joyce, Fred Keller, Dan Meuser, Scott Perry, and Guy Reschenthaler — urged Pennsylvanians to get behind Mastriano.

"...[W]e are proud to endorse Doug Mastriano for Governor of Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania's families are struggling to put gas in their cars and food on their tables. Progressive policies supported by Joe Biden and Josh Shapiro have led to fewer jobs, higher crime rates, rampant drug addiction, and less freedom for Pennsylvania's hard-working families ... Doug Mastriano's passion for life, freedom, and liberty make him the clear choice for our next Governor."

Mastriano said, "I am grateful and humbled to receive the endorsement of these great champions of liberty and prosperity. Pennsylvanians have been deprived of their freedom for too long, under the harsh Democrat policies that Josh Shapiro will reinforce if elected. I look forward to working with our Congressional Delegation and making our commonwealth a place where the people are free and the economy is thriving. We will be strong partners for change in Pennsylvania."

Fetterman endorsed by Human Rights

Campaign; blasts Toomey and Dr. Oz

Democratic candidate for governor John Fetterman this week received the endorsement of the Human Rights Campaign PAC (HRC PAC) and blasted U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey, who Fetterman is running to replace, for his refusal to say whether he will vote in favor of the bipartisan, House-passed Respect for Marriage Act to codify federal recognition of same-sex marriages against infringement by the Supreme Court.

"I am so grateful to the Human Rights Campaign PAC for their endorsement," Fetterman said. "As your Lieutenant Governor and your next Senator, I'll always support the LGBTQ+ community and fight against anyone who tries to roll back these critical rights — including the guy I'm running to replace who claims to remain 'undecided' on whether to support a bipartisan law to defend the right to a same-sex marriage. I find that unconscionable.

"Dr. Oz gave advocates of so-called 'conversion therapy' a national platform on his television show, praised 'Don't Say Gay' bills, and denied causes of suicide risk to trans youth. He cannot be trusted to stand up at all for LGBTQ+ Pennsylvanians. When it comes to LGBTQ+ rights, I will be very clear where I stand — in favor of Equal Protection Under the Law, always. Not only would I proudly and swiftly vote to pass the Respect for Marriage Act, but I will vote to scrap the filibuster so we can finally pass legislation to advance LGBTQ+ rights like the Equality Act."

As Lieutenant Governor, he has regularly ordered the display of Pride Flags from the balcony at the State Capitol in Harrisburg, along with the Trans Pride Flag during Transgender Day of Remembrance. Republican lawmakers later passed legislation banning this practice, but Fetterman continues to fly the flags in defiance of the ban.

Bognet issues statement on

'economically devastating' IRA bill

Jim Bognet, the 2022 Republican nominee for Congress in the 8th Congressional District, this week released the following statement amidst the news that Democrats plan to back "a new tax and spend socialist wish list bill" as the U.S. falls further into a recession.

"Joe Biden and his Congressional enablers like Matt Cartwright have plunged us into a recession. Cartwright supports every crazy Biden idea 100% of the time, from the Green Raw Deal to shutting down pipelines to banning drilling for oil on federal lands.

"Biden and Cartwright owe an apology to the people of Northeast PA for the pain their high gas prices have caused. Now, these lunatic liberals want to raise taxes during a recession to pay for AOC's eco-socialist wish list. This bill attacks the hardworking American families already struggling to get by.

"Any politician that supports Biden's tax increases must be voted out of office this year."

E-Street Band guitarist Stevie Van

Zandt urges Oz to come home to NJ

Pennsylvania Lt. Governor John Fetterman's campaign for Senate this week trolled Dr. Oz with multiple products to celebrate New Jersey Day — a very real thing.

A New Jersey legend — former Sopranos star and E-Street Band Guitarist Stevie Van Zandt — recorded a video for Dr. Oz to celebrate New Jersey Day.

In addition, the campaign announced that a new billboard ad will welcome Dr. Oz to Pennsylvania every time he crosses the Betsy Ross Bridge from New Jersey to Pennsylvania.

Van Zandt's message:

"Yo, Dr. Oz, Stevie V-Z here. What are you doing in Pennsylvania? Everybody knows you live in New Jersey and are just using your in-laws' address over there. You do not want to mess with John Fetterman, trust me. He's a little out of your league."

Additionally, in a direct-to-camera video released Wednesday morning, and filmed earlier this week, Fetterman wished Dr. Oz a happy New Jersey Day.

"Today is a really big day for Dr. Oz... It's a holiday recognizing Dr. Oz's home state," said Fetterman in the video.

This is not the first time Fetterman has pointed to Oz's longtime New Jersey residency and the questions it raises for Pennsylvania voters concerned about the Republican nominee's commitment to a state he hardly knows.

Dr. Oz supporters fire back

Sheriffs representing 13 Pennsylvania counties sent a letter to U.S. Senate candidate John Fetterman asking him to reverse a number of his radical policy positions that he has taken throughout his career on crime, law enforcement, and criminal justice reform.

In the letter, the sheriffs reference John Fetterman's support for de-criminalizing all drugs, demilitarizing police, releasing one-third of Pennsylvania prison inmates, lightening sentences for convicted murders, and lowering bail for arsonists.

The letter also asks for John Fetterman to recant his endorsement of Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner.

Reach Bill O'Boyle at 570-991-6118 or on Twitter @TLBillOBoyle.